Brave Space is an ongoing series following an identity-affirming barber, Alex Seiler, and her craft as one of the pioneers of genderless servicing within the hair industry. The term 'brave space' is derived from, but challenges the original term, 'safe space', which was coined in the 1960s to describe places where LGBTQIA+ individuals could exist without fear of discrimination or harm. The brave space is where people are strongly encouraged to speak freely and express themselves unapologetically. The brave space is about radical acceptance and expression of oneself without fear of what the outside world has to say. A queer person herself, Alex deeply values this concept as she creates her own brave space within the confinement of her studio. Branding herself as an identity-affirming barber, Alex's target demographic is those seeking a short haircut who wouldn't traditionally have one. This includes (but is not limited to) women and nonbinary folk. The foundation of Alex's brave space is being built on empathy, solidarity, and inspiration. Two of the bravest things you can do is be yourself and cut all your hair off. In Alex's chair, you're encouraged to do both.
